The Ancient's Staff
by MYSTIC1
Summary: Friendship builds among the former warlords as they discuss their pasts and how they got their armors. Unfortunately, there is also a threat in the nether world.
1. Default Chapter

This is the prologue to my new fic. I will post the first chapter over the weekend and then I will post a chapter every week.  
  
Thousands of years ago, the dim consciousness of primitive man expanded to allow new thoughts and several ranges of emotions. Over the centuries, humankind, with an increasing consciousness and intelligence, settled down into structured communities. They created technology to improve their lives. They built great temples and castles. They created an economic system for their society to flourish. Humankind became civilized. At the very first moment of civilized thought, humankind encountered a horror that threatened their souls - nether spirits.  
  
Nether spirits were the spirits of civilized people that fell to the evil that lives within every civilization. Although there was another world for nether spirits to reside, the nether spirits wished to haunt and cause harm to those who knew them when they were alive. After the passing of two generations of civilized man, the island of Japan was rampant with nether spirits.  
  
The nether spirits, like mortals, needed to survive or else perish. However, since they gave in to the evil part of human nature, they relied on suffering, anger, and greed to survive. Badamon, the leader of the nether spirits, arranged an alliance with the snake demons who were also going through a food shortage. The snake demons killed the humans slowly for food while the nether spirits fed off the pain of each death.  
  
War soon engulfed all Japan. Two distinct groups of fighters emerged - those who could battle spirits and those who could battle mortals.  
  
Families such as Kuroda, Koji, and Yamano in the Clan of the Ancient were descended directly from people who fought valiantly against the nether spirits and saved the world during that period. Other families such as Sasaki, Sanada, Date, Mitoma, Hideyoshi, Mouri, Koma and Yamanouchi were descended from people who fought against the snake demons and also saved the world. During that century of warfare, the Ashi family sympathized with the nether spirits and the snake demons. The Ashi family believed that the nether spirits and snake demons had the right to exist. After 34 years of warfare, Badamon, as a gift of the Ashi family's comradeship, made an armor for the leader of the Ashi family to wear. After 78 years of warfare, the Ashi family controlled the majority of Japan. The Kuroda, Sasaki, Koma, Yamanouchi, Mitoma and Hideyoshi families were decimated and faced extinction. One year later, people whose descents became part of the Clan created a special staff to fight against the evil armor of Ashi. A lengthy campaign followed to free the land. In the 109 year of the war, the first bearer of the staff died, but his spirit resided in the staff to guide the next bearer of the staff. After ten years, he left the essence of his spiritual power in the staff while his soul passed away into the next life. Finally, after 125 years of constant warfare, what became known as the Clan of the Ancient won the war. The nether spirits and the Ashi family were banished to the nether world while the snake demons scattered into small pockets across Japan.  
  
Then, the people with special powers gathered together near the western coast of Japan to protect their country and to further develop their knowledge and their ability to fight evil. As more centuries passed, the people, who were later known as the Clan of the Ancient, eventually became their own ethnic group due to constant marriages and training within the clan over millennia that distinguished them from the other Japanese and heightened their abilities. The Clan of the Ancient acted like an independent, self-sufficient community. The Kuroda family and the Koji family were farmers while the Yamano family were artisans who bought materials from the other families in the clan to create items for sale in the neighboring villages.  
  
Until 500 AD, the clan only had one leader who also functioned as the clan's warrior and defender - the one who controlled the staff. Around the year 500 AD, the clan began studying Buddhism and Shintoism. The two were combined to suit the clan's needs. The position of warrior monks, each with a certain trait - Virtue, Life, Justice, Wisdom, Trust, Loyalty, Obedience, Piety, and Serenity, were created to be the defenders of the Clan and the world, and also advisors to the one who controlled the staff. The warrior monks were the predecessors of the Ronin Warriors and inspired Kaosu, the Ancient One, to create the nine armors.  
  
During that same period, the vengeful snake demons also underwent a cultural change. The snake demons captured the daughters of their most powerful enemies to produce powerful children with snake blood who would later battle their enemies. Being small in numbers, the snake demons were not considered a major threat until they attacked the Clan of the Ancient a hundred years later. The snake demons were more dangerous than they were centuries ago when they relied on Badamon and the Ashi family for support. After several bloody battles, the warrior monks defeated the snake demons.  
  
Again drastically reduced in numbers, the snake demons were forced to live near the coastal areas. For centuries they lived shamefully in the waters until the last descendent of the Ashi family, Talpa, took the evil armor and slaughtered the warrior monks. The snake demons were again allied with the Ashi family and Badamon. They believed themselves to be invincible because not only had their former allies returned and the warrior monks were dead, but also because the bearer of the staff suffered from a nether curse. However, Kaosu, who was later known as the Ancient One, killed the last descendent of the Ashi family and the snake demons were fought back to the coasts.  
  
By that time, the snake demons were tired of losing so they pledged never to give up. For five hundred years, they fought the people along the area of southern Kyushu in Japan. Their control of the lands fluctuated constantly. During the 1300s AD, their hatred of losing transformed into a hatred of certain families in southern Kyushu. The Yamanouchi family was one of those families.  
  
In the late 1400s, the spirit of Talpa sent an army of youja and nether spirits to attack the Clan of the Ancient while Kaosu, then known as the Ancient One, was busy in other parts of Japan. The campaign was successful beyond imagination. Out of the 2000 or 3000 members of the clan, only a handful estimating near 50 survived, the majority left with nether curses. Several members of the Clan were captured by the snake demons and placed in harems. Six or seven escaped and for the most part were unscarred. The Yamano and Koji families fled, unharmed. Through marriage with other families, the powers inherent in the Clan of the Ancient diminished and by the 1600s, everyone believed the last true descendents of the Clan were dead. A nether spirit in the massacre cursed the only survivor of the Kuroda family, Jiguro, in the late 1400s. The Ancient One found Kuroda Jiguro stumbling among the wreckage of the Clan and insane from the curse. The Ancient One restored Jiguro's sanity and gave him the Autumn armor. The armor's trait of Serenity helped control the nether curse.  
  
In the early 1500s, the Yamanouchi family and the village which housed the Yamanouchi family was almost under the control of the snake demons. After several relentless attacks, the snake demons succeeded in poisoning Yamanouchi Nataki. Nataki's son, Nazaka, was torn between fighting the battles to protect his village and helping his ill father. With the powerful Yamanouchi family preoccupied, the snake demons were confident in controlling the village and then Japan.  
  
Then, the Ancient One gave Yamanouchi Nazaka the Summer armor. When Nazaka, then the Ronin Warrior of Piety, left to fight a different evil, the snake demons hoped that Nazaka would be killed. To their dismay, Nazaka returned with the Ronin armor and used it to repel the snake demons from his village. For five years, the war was at standstill until finally the snake demons were defeated.  
  
Yamanouchi Nazaka also used his armor to cure the poison in his father. After Nazaka's victory over the snake demons, the village enjoyed ten years of peace. During the fifteen years after his return, Nazaka married and had a son and a daughter, Nakazo and Serika. His children never lived to start happy families of their own. After the decade of peace ended, Nakazo was killed in one of the first battles of the new war. Serika was raped by a snake demon and later gave birth to a son who was named Sekhmet. She later killed herself in despair.  
  
Sekhmet lived a sad childhood. The village hated him because of his father. Only Nazaka treated him with kindness. Although the village eventually won the war, Nazaka died in the decisive battle against the snake demons when Sekhmet was nine. While the village celebrated their victory, Sekhmet ran away with his grandfather's armor and was hunted by Naga, the leader of the snake demons. After a few days, Naga captured him and tortured him. Due to years of torture, abuse, and lack of communication, Sekhmet developed a rather animalistic attitude until his seventeenth year when he retrieved his armor while Naga was sleeping and became the Dark Warlord of Venom for Talpa. 


	2. Chapter1

"Snake blood! Snake blood!" The rallying cry echoed throughout the tainted hallways of the underground castle. "Snake blood! Snake blood!" The rallying cry heralded the arrival of queen Naga's personal advisor. "Snake blood! Snake blood!" The cry died down as the queen's personal advisor entered and stood in the middle of the throne room.  
  
Because of his royal status, the advisor and general could speak freely to the queen in front of the entire populace and he could also arrange meetings with her. Oleiriset, the Queen's personal advisor and general, surveyed the spectators of the public meeting. Every family in the group at some point integrated the blood and strengths of their enemies, but despite being descended from the women in the harems, they had the obvious traits of the snake blood - thick occasionally scaly skin, small bulging eyes and hair colors ranging from green, black, yellow and various shades that never grew properly. Oleiriset's white and yellow hair blended perfectly together. A few of the snake demons were able to pose as humans in the mortal world. Oleiriset was one of those few.  
  
The advisor quickly turned his attention to the throne as queen Naga silenced the crowd. Naga announced to the group, "Now that advisor Oleiriset has finished his years of study, we can properly discuss the future course of our blood." The snake demons always referred to themselves as blood instead of people. Then, she said directly to him, "Advisor Oleiriset, our people are restless. They desire to return to the era of prosperity and peace that they enjoyed before losing the Yamanouchi and relocating to the nether world."  
  
"Yes, I understand." The initial capture of the last remaining descendent of Yamanouchi Nazaka boosted the confidence and esteem of the snake demons. Their society flourished with the sadistic pleasure that is involved with vengeance. After Sekhmet escaped, the snake demons, lacking the cure for their collective mental illness, followed him into the nether world where they hid and tried to ally themselves with Talpa and Badamon in order to further influence Sekhmet's life. Talpa feared that their influence would cause his warlord to question his intentions so he denied them an alliance.  
  
Oleiriset breathed deeply to keep his composure. "In order to achieve a total victory, all nine armors must be destroyed. Our biggest threat at this moment will be Kayura." He instantly raised his hands towards the audience to prevent any questions. He already knew the answers. "The five elemental Ronin Warriors will soon be preoccupied. Their defeat is secure. That only leaves the former warlords for us to fight. In case the general populous is ignorant of a certain fact, Anubis who temporarily replaced the Ancient One, is dead so there is one less to worry us. Kale is of no special blood and Dais should never be considered a threat despite that his grandfather, Kuroda Jiguro, was born from the Clan of the Ancient! Jiguro was cursed by a nether spirit, which canceled out the powers of the Clan. Jiguro then mingled his bloodline with that of a weaker bloodline, resulting in a weaker Kuroda generation. Their only surviving son further mingled the Clan ancestry with another weak bloodline, from which Dais was born. Kayura is the last pure descendent of the Clan. Therefore she is the strongest and the most dangerous."  
  
Naga dismissed his words and stated bluntly with all the symptoms of the mental illness that is revenge, "Killing Kayura is of no major importance to me. Nazaka brutally murdered my father so I must torture Nazaka in effigy. Now that Sekhmet has his grandfather's armor, he will use the armor against us. I want Sekhmet returned to his rightful place. Am I correct in believing that you have a plan? Remember that brute force is wasteful and dangerous."  
  
"Yes, you are correct," Oleiriset replied worriedly; the queen said before the meeting that she wanted to discuss the well-being of the snake demons, but she uncharacteristically jumped past all of the problems and all of the various solutions and decided to follow only one course. However, he could not ask her until later  
  
His strategy was, "There is a certain rule that I learned in my studies: the greater the kindness, the greater the deception. Talpa's kindness was giving Sekhmet a comfortable position of power and Nazaka's armor. Talpa's deception was using Sekhmet solely for the armor and then to kill him. Well, Sekhmet still lacks certain things that are almost a necessity for every individual. I will go to him, give him the necessity (the kindness) and then lead him here (the deception). It is the exact same method that Talpa used, but his plan was foiled by the Ancient One so I wish that Kayura be killed before we retrieve the descendent of Nazaka."  
  
  
  
The tiger walked stealthily across the long ramp on the top of the newly constructed skyscraper. The city lights glittered brightly, illuminating the area for miles. The people of the city, like their ancestors for thousands of years, retired to their beds for the night while the nocturnal workers busied themselves sleepily in an attempt to stay awake. As the tiger examined the land, a great sadness flowed through him. All of his friends were dead: his beloved, his parents, his friends, his comrades, his student. everyone. Soon more people dear to him might die.  
  
The entire city was built over the remains of lord Mitoma Hitomaro's castle where eight Ronin Warriors fought desperately against Hariel and the White Inferno. 500 years ago, lord Mitoma Hitomaro, a man with a peculiar philosophy for life, bought the White Inferno from Chinese merchants and forgot about it when the Ancient One gave him the armor Strata. Hitomaro was guilt-ridden forever when he learned that he was responsible for bringing the threat (also the near destruction of the world) to Japan and was responsible for the death of a little girl who was killed because of the White Inferno. Hitomaro's promise to live saintly life was shattered when his grandson desired to steal Strata and to become a warlord for Talpa. Hitomaro compromised his vow. He murdered his grandson and then killed himself. Without an heir, the other members of the Mitoma clan warred upon each other for succession. The castle was eventually destroyed and the area fell under the control of a more powerful lord.  
  
The tiger breathed deeply once. There were tears in his eyes that threatened to come out.  
  
Setting aside his grief, the tiger stepped off the ramp and turned around to look at it. The steep angle up the ramp was perfect for his intentions. Preparing himself, the tiger placed his foot on the steel ramp and focused on shoving a psychological wedge in his mind. Then, he zoomed up the ramp, shoving the wedge deeper as he ran faster. When he neared the end, the wedge split his mind. Two separate voices could be heard arguing about old spites and fighting for privacy. Then, the tiger flew across the end of the ramp and onto the roof of the adjacent building where the two voices regained their privacy.  
  
White Blaze and Black Blaze faced each other, breathless. The two tigers sat down and waited until the strain of existing as one and then separating themselves began to disappear in memory.  
  
"You know what the new threat is," stated Black Blaze somberly.  
  
White Blaze nodded. "The Inferno armor."  
  
Another moment of silence passed. The two tigers gained sympathy and understanding for the other while they existed as one. In that sense, White Blaze was more like a friend than anyone else was to the other tiger. The other tiger unfortunately never knew how to treat a friend. "Well, the battle will begin in a few days, a week at the most." He turned to leave.  
  
"Wait! Black Blaze, I have a question!"  
  
The two counterparts faced each other again. "What is the question?"  
  
"What will happen to Ryo and his friends? Will they live? If Ryo dies, I-"  
  
"Calm yourself, White Blaze," the other tiger said. After the death of the Ancient One, Ryo became White Blaze's sole reason for existence. "You know the prophecy."  
  
Would Ryo fall victim to the evil armor that killed so many innocent people who were dear to White Blaze and his friends? If Ryo fell victim, he would become the murderer and only his death could save the world. It was the only tactic that White Blaze knew worked. During the past two years, White Blaze had many opportunities to kill Ryo in his sleep, to give him a quick easy death which would be merciful compared to the Inferno's enslavement.  
  
"I am the Guardian of Virtue!" he declared. "My duty is to protect Ryo!"  
  
Black Blaze frowned, "Only until Ryo is able to protect himself and Ryo has been fully capable of defending himself for the past two years. The White Inferno almost killed you. Your skills are useless in protecting him against either Inferno."  
  
  
  
After the two tigers left without another word, White Blaze immediately jumped on Ryo's bed and began to position himself comfortably near the end. The teenager awoke groggily, rolled onto his side, and tucked his legs nearer to his body to allow White Blaze plenty of room to rest. The teenager fell back asleep quicker than he awoke. Ryo hiked extensively earlier that day and was exhausted. White Blaze smelled various forest scents on him.  
  
Gazing at Ryo's delicate neck, White Blaze again toyed with the idea of granting him a swift merciful death. 500 years ago, he vowed to kill anyone who wore the Inferno no matter what. He still had yet to complete his vow with Ryo who bore the Inferno. White Blaze tensed his muscles to pounce. A swift merciful death would be kinder than the drawn-out torture that Ryo would endure under the Inferno's control. White Blaze focused his eyes on the thin, pale neck of sleeping Ryo. He would never allow Ryo to become a slave of the Inferno! White Blaze's muscles coiled up. Then, the tiger sprang off the bed and ran outside where he cried himself to sleep. Ryo awoke him in the morning, ignorant of White Blaze's troubles and opinions.  
  
  
  
"Where's Kayura?" Kale inquired of the other two former warlords as he sat down at the table with a plate of food in his hands.  
  
"Still meditating," Dais replied rather angrily. He was always deeply irritated after waking up and he was only awake for a few minutes.  
  
After the defeat of Talpa, there was a new threat every single month, which left little time for socializing. Because of their busy schedule, mealtimes became the perfect time for relaxation and for conversations that consisted primarily of their jobs and duties in keeping the nether world in harmony - regulating and restricting the amount of nether spirits and soldiers that a youja could have, gradually lowering the amount in order to balance all of the spiritual worlds and the mortal world, tactics against the current threat, and the affairs of other major youja. During that rare period with Dais too upset for a conversation and Sekhmet never prone to decent conversations, Kale began to think about his life.  
  
Why did he agree to join Talpa? Kale, born into a clan of ninjas, was disgusted at his lord. His lord was an incompetent fool who wished to waste the entire regime of ninjas and samurais. Those of the highest strength had to accomplish the menial tasks while those of the lowest strength had to accomplish the excruciating tasks. His lord never allowed the wisest to offer advice or to strategize. His lord always formulated the most ridiculous plans. Everyone, the Date clan, the Hideyoshi family, the Tokugawa clan, and the Sanada clan trampled over him. Even the fragile Mitoma clan arranged victories over his lord! The Ronin Warrior legend was a mockery when Kale grew up and no one thought highly of them. In fact, when Kale officially became a ninja, the Ronin Warrior legend was forgotten. After several discussions with Talpa, Kale concluded that the emperor was sensible, sane, and worthy of his skills so Kale took his armor and agreed to serve Talpa.  
  
"How did we get our armors?" Kale asked Dais and Sekhmet suddenly.  
  
"I always had my armor." Dais said curiously, more awake now and less angry. After two years of comradeship, they felt somewhat comfortable talking about their pasts and their families. "Well, my armor actually belonged to my family. I think. I think my father got the armor when his father died. I know the armor was kept in storage until I took it. I don't know what my grandfather did with the armor. I only remember my grandfather's funeral."  
  
Kale leaned back in his chair. "I saw my grandfather a few times, but those memories are vague. He died when I was seven, but I did not attend the funeral. The armor was like something that no one wanted to be in the Sasaki clan." He knew his grandfather was disgraced somehow, which disgraced his children and grandchildren.  
  
"I didn't know you were born into the Sasaki ninja clan," Dais said. "Where I lived, there were always rumors and stories about how Sasaki Idoju hated the Sanada clan, especially this one ninja who wasn't really a Sanada or something."  
  
"Sasaki Idoju is my grandfather!" Kale exclaimed, jumping out of his chair.  
  
Dais tensed at Kale's unexpected outburst. When his comrade calmed down, he said, "My grandfather is Kuroda Jiguro."  
  
Without warning, Sekhmet sprang out of his chair and charged through the door. His loud footsteps were heard for several moments before disappearing with the distance. Dais and Kale stared after him in shock. That was the most response that Sekhmet displayed concerning anything. The two former warlords wondered what made him run.  
  
Comforting his head in his right hand, Kale noted for the sake of noting, "The beginning of this day is weird."  
  
Dais nodded mutely and decided to continue on the previous conversation, "Our armors are Ronin Warrior armors and we got our armors from our grandfathers so that means our ancestors had contact with the Ancient One."  
  
Suppressing a laugh, Kale sighed and smiled as he and Dais ran out the kitchen towards Kayura who the spirit of the Ancient One communicated with frequently. 


	3. Chapter2

Something to think about: There are many different definitions for the word "staff." A group of people who serve a leader or an executive of a company, organization, or institution A stick, rod, or pole, such as a stick used as a support while walking, or a rod used as a symbol of authority in ceremonies  
  
  
  
When Dais and Kale looked through Kayura's open door, they saw her talking with Sekhmet. The former warlord of Venom appeared impassive as usual, but a certain sternness in his features hinted that something troubled him that he wished to keep secret. Kayura noticed Dais's and Kale's hasty arrival and said to them; "I assume you also wanted to ask the Ancient about your grandfathers."  
  
They nodded.  
  
"The Ancient One told me about them a few days after Talpa was defeated. He wondered if you knew or not. If you forgot, he did not want you to know until after you were living peaceful lives or were already following the ways of your ancestors. Your grandfathers had the seasonal Ronin Warrior armors, which the Ancient One gave to them. Your grandfathers were Ronin Warriors." Then, she told them everything she knew.  
  
  
  
Oleiriset glanced over the various weapons of torture. His hands shook nervously at the sight of some, his throat clenched at the sight of others, and his muscles tensed at the sight of the rest.  
  
"Which would you prefer?" Naga asked calmly as she walked to the table side across from him. She rested her hands on the side of the table opposite Oleiriset and leaned against it.  
  
The advisor trembled slightly. "In reality, I prefer the less painful ones. However, in reality, weapons of torture must be painful." He sighed defeatedly and tried to steel up his fear. He knew which tactics would work best. "There is a machine that was used for centuries against our most dangerous enemies. You refused to use it against Sekhmet because the machine would have killed him at his age when he was captured. I wish for that one to be used."  
  
"Are you sure?" Naga stared at him with wide eyes, alarmed.  
  
Closing his eyes, Oleiriset nodded hastily and tried to focus on his mission. "We of the snake blood heal quickly and we must also act quickly. The Ronin Warriors on the mortal world are going to be destroyed sooner than I expected."  
  
Naga grabbed a few of the items on the table and walked over to the machine in the corner to begin preparing it for the torture. While she did so, she said, "I do not understand your obsession with killing the elemental Ronin Warriors."  
  
"I do not understand your obsession with Sekhmet. I know you had fun with him for the first few years, but then you got tired of him so you kept him in his cage all day. At the meeting two days ago, you acted so adamant to retrieve him and I thought you finished mourning for your father."  
  
After a brief sigh, Naga spoke honestly and contritely, "Our people are complacent, Oleiriset. When we had Sekhmet, our blood felt safe and secure, but now the younger generations question why the older generations need him. In order for the younger generations to understand the older generations, the younger generations must experience the pain and loss that the older generations experienced."  
  
"Elaborate," the advisor said, temporarily forgetting the planned torture. After Naga did so, he commented, "You wish for the illness of our blood to continue."  
  
"It is no longer an illness!" Naga shouted, "It is now our culture!"  
  
Shocked, Oleiriset stared at her. For years, he wondered if she knew about the illness, but he certainly never believed she would find and admit the truth about the illness. In that sense, Naga knew more about the snake demons than her advisor knew.  
  
Breathing deeply to calm herself, the queen then inquired of her advisor, "Now, tell me why you are obsessed with destroying the elemental Ronins."  
  
  
  
Mia was late so Ryo decided to make a sandwich while he waited and he made one for White Blaze, who looked hungry. Then, they sat by the curb of the dirt road and ate contently. Nothing threatened mortal world for almost a year. Wanting to celebrate, the Ronin Warriors and their friends planned to get together for a few days.  
  
After finishing his snack, Ryo relaxed in the grass and enjoyed the cool breeze blowing across his face. Acting like a typical cat, White Blaze rested his head on Ryo's lap.  
  
"Do you know what would be great, White Blaze?" Ryo asked his childhood friend to start a conversation. He listened to his tiger's purring, which sounded strangely somber to him, and said, "Well, you probly think now is great."  
  
Ryo sighed. He still kept his armor orb with him and he hoped that one day he could no longer carry the armor orb. Yuli, long ago, stopped carrying the Jewel of Life with him because there was no need. The Ronin Warriors wished that in a few more months they could leave their armors behind to live a completely normal life without fear.  
  
"White Blaze, what I want to do when I am older is: I wanna buy a trailer and travel. I need a lot of money, of course, but after I get the money, I will travel. And you can travel with me. And. I might have a wife when I am older. I dunno. Women scare me. Sage's horror stories about women are just. I don't wanna think about them."  
  
  
  
Exhausted, Kayura collapsed on her chair. She massaged her head with her hands and tried to relax. Then, she straightened her long robes. The staff glowed brightly. Quite annoyed with her never-ending lessons, Kayura grabbed the staff and shook it gently to get the spirit's attention.  
  
The Ancient One's spiritual voice called out, "Kayura, calm down."  
  
Kayura stated sourly, "I spent all evening and all night - twelve hours - copying notes from your lessons. Then, I spent all morning - five hours - organizing those notes and studying the notes from previous lessons. I need some sleep!"  
  
Because his tone was usually somber or melancholy, it was difficult to decide if his variations of those two emotions leaned towards sadness or happiness. "There is a person at the gates. If you clear your mind, you can sense his presence."  
  
With a small agitated sigh, the last true descendent of the Clan straightened her posture and smoothed away her exhaustion and annoyance. Then, she stretched out her mind, touching everything in its pure form. First, her mind filled the room, then the castle where she sensed the release of physical and mental energy (Dais, Kale, and Sekhmet were practicing and thinking), and finally her mind went outside the gates.  
  
Kayura gasped in shock at the stabbing pain that entered her mental vision outside the gates. A man's life energy abandoned him in hasty chunks, leaving him weak and helpless. Firmly holding the staff, she flung open her door and ran off to aid the visitor.  
  
  
  
Hearing frantic footsteps, Sekhmet took himself out of his semi- meditative trance and stared curiously at Kayura as she ran into the training hall. His armor granting him a moment of empathy, Sekhmet sensed that she was terrified about the condition of a person. Considering the feeling of Kayura's fear, Sekhmet assumed the person was probably near death, before Kayura shouted out to them that she needed their help and incidentally proved Sekhmet's prediction correct. As he followed, he mused over why he understood everyone's emotions except his own. In truth, Sekhmet rarely felt any emotion and he wondered if such a thing was possible for him.  
  
He then examined the minds of Dais and Kale. Unlike Kayura, their mindset was more dutiful than worried. What should he feel?  
  
  
  
The gate opened, revealing a man covered in the shredded tatters of a cloak and rocking back and forth in a pool of blood. Dais and Sekhmet instantly ran towards the sides of the area with their weapons drawn to find and to attack any people who hid nearby to kill the victim. Setting aside worry and revulsion, Kayura cautiously examined the man's wounds. Puncture marks caused by sharp needles covered the man's entire body.  
  
The man's pleading stare implored her to act quickly to help him. In that instant, Kayura felt a strange bond between herself and the man. She did not have time to ponder over that matter, however.  
  
"Kale, help me carry him inside! Grab his legs; I'll get his arms," she called out. The former warlord of Corruption obeyed immediately. Together, they firmly yet gently lifted up the man and quickly carried him inside.  
  
Dais and Sekhmet slowly backed away from the sides until they were certain that the man was safely in the castle. Then, they closed the gates and ran ahead of Kayura and Kale to prepare the proper medical supplies with which to treat the man's injuries.  
  
  
  
"I heard about things that could inflict that type of damage, but I never saw the effects of the weapon until now," the Ancient One told Kayura, who relayed the information to the former warlords. "I know only snake demons have that weapon, but that was 500 years ago. I know nothing about them since then. I am certain that over the years, other people were able to get the weapon."  
  
Kayura looked at the faces of the former warlords to see if they had any major reactions that she should inquire about. Finding none, she said, "The man is healing faster than both the Ancient One and I expected. He should regain consciousness this evening. After he wakes up, I will ask him who attacked him."  
  
  
  
At first, after the defeat of Talpa, the former warlords tried to atone by doing what Anubis did and be monks. They felt uncomfortable and ill suited for the task and after a few months, they decided to wear their armors to practice for battle again instead of easing their minds. However, they never tried to gain a perfect grasp on their armor's trait until they learned that their grandfathers were Ronin Warriors.  
  
In addition to practicing, Dais and Kale began discussing their childhood while Sekhmet intently listened so quietly to the side that he seemed nonexistent. Their conversations usually started with their grandparents and trailed off into various topics like poetry, girlfriends, politics, and the troubles of growing up. The more that Dais and Kale discussed their family and their childhood, the more Sekhmet remembered his own. Well, Sekhmet never forgot his past; he merely never thought about it, but as he listened to his comrades' conversations, painful memories floated to the top of his brain and he experienced new emotions that he couldn't name.  
  
  
  
The injured man awoke in the evening, more or less, as he planned and as Kayura predicted. Kayura, following the Ancient's instructions in tending for the sick and hurt, asked him if he was feeling better and told them that he was safe - common sense questions that most people usually tossed aside for the sake of curiosity. When the former warlords arrived, the major questions began.  
  
The man, however, asked the first question, "Where am I?"  
  
"You're in the castle of the Ancient," Kayura answered. Talpa's castle was renamed the castle of the Ancient because the spirit of the Ancient One had been the guiding force in the nether world after Talpa's defeat.  
  
"Good," the man said with a smile of relief. "I was afraid I got lost on the road. I wanted to come here."  
  
Considering the man's wounds, Kayura and the former warlords believed he wanted to go to the castle for healing and protection. However, the man's tone made them slightly suspicious.  
  
Finally, Kayura let go of her curiosity and asked him, "What is your name? Who hurt you?"  
  
The man replied, "That should be obvious! Queen Naga of the snake demons personally tortured me." He cast his gaze downward at the floor and shuddered convulsively. In truth, he almost died from the torture. After a moment of silence, he said, "Oh, my name is Oleiriset."  
  
"Why would she want to hurt you?" Kayura needed to understand as much of the problem as possible. Once she had all or most of the details, then she would be able to plan an attack against those who threatened the peace.  
  
"I think you can guess why!" Oleiriset chuckled nervously, almost hysterically.  
  
Arms crossed, Dais sternly ordered the man, "Explain why you say that."  
  
"Because you have a person with snake blood in your ranks," he replied, pointing to Sekhmet. Then, he said to Sekhmet, "Naga has been disconsolate ever since her little pet ran away. She occasionally enjoys toying with people who have at least a small portion of snake blood in their veins, but are not full-blooded. I am half-snake demon."  
  
Sekhmet winced slightly. His mouth twitched a little. His stance solidified angrily. His comrades stared at him so he said gruffly, "What the man says is true." Confirming what the man said about his own heritage was the most that he spoke about his past.  
  
Kayura glanced from Sekhmet to Oleiriset. The mention of snake demons disturbed Sekhmet and anything that bothered the impassive former warlord of Venom worried Kayura. She did not know how Sekhmet would react if she pressed him for information. "Is there anything else that you can tell us?"  
  
"No," both Oleiriset and Sekhmet replied at once - Oleiriset's voice smooth and calm, Sekhmet's voice rough and angry.  
  
They contemplated the situation until Oleiriset asked them to leave so that he could rest. As they headed towards the door, their visitor added, "Sekhmet, may I speak with you alone for a moment?"  
  
There was nothing objectionable in Oleiriset's request so Sekhmet complied. They essentially had the same atypical features - large eyes with colored, almost invisible lids and hair of an unnatural hue that refused to grow properly. Sekhmet, however, was taller and bigger in build than Oleiriset was.  
  
Oleiriset promptly spoke without restraint, "Sekhmet, you should kill Naga."  
  
"No."  
  
Oleiriset sighed, "Why do you refuse? Naga tortured you multiple times each month! She might desire to abuse you again and come back for you!"  
  
Sekhmet clenched his fists vehemently. He had no idea how to explain his conclusions. Having rarely thought much about anything, all of his wisest ideas seemed to come from pure instinct. "I don't believe you," he replied although he did not know why.  
  
Oleiriset ignored that comment and continued, "Well, if you do not wish to avenge your own honor, what about Nazaka, your grandfather? I was there, Sekhmet, when they murdered Nazaka. They cut open his body and mutilated him. They rejoiced at his death. Huge festivals were held because he was brutally slain! And the village never mourned for him who defended them over several decades from the snake demons! Why do you refuse to kill his killers?"  
  
"Because I refuse!" Sekhmet shouted. An ancient piece of wisdom that Yamanouchi Nazaka tried to teach him was imbedded in his mind. Unfortunately, he could neither identify the wisdom nor explain it. 


	4. Chapter3

There's gonna be a song in the next chapter of The Ancient's Staff. I advise all of my readers to go to either Theria's site or Sora's site and download the song "Kamen no Shita no Namida" so you that you can listen and sing along. I love that song so much that I just had to put it in my fic.  
  
Theria's site: http://www.theria.net/yst/cds/index.html  
  
Sora's site: http://www.sorakun.net/ystmp3/index2.html  
  
  
  
Day one, Oleiriset thought, closing his eyes as his face held an expression of controlled tranquility. He had centuries more experience than Kayura had at mentally sensing and feeling the outside world. His mental boundary easily transgressed the nether world into the mortal world, where the two instinctively vile entities waited expectantly for their big battle. Oleiriset was glad that he learned from outside sources about the Inferno armors. If he went to Africa to investigate the other Inferno without any prior knowledge of its nature, he would have fallen into the same trap that made Hariel insane.  
  
Finding the two armors, the queen's advisor suddenly felt agitated and angry at his circumstances. The Inferno armors had their plans and Oleiriset's plan might come too late and miss any chance of usefulness.  
  
  
  
White Blaze rested outside an arcade store and waited contently for Ryo and Mia to exit. He tried to relax his worried nerves and to enjoy the day when he heard a familiar voice yell out his name.  
  
"Psst! White Blaze!" called out the other tiger, the prophet of the Inferno, from around the corner of a building. "Danger awaits you! I believe you forgot about the Black Inferno."  
  
"What!" He ran after his counterpart along the sidewalk. The sidewalk vanished, replaced briefly by African savanna, and then reappeared again. The same thing happened 1000 years ago for his first battle with the White Inferno. Turning around, the Guardian of Virtue ran towards Ryo, the White Inferno's chosen victim. Like the other horrified citizens, Ryo watched the apparitions appear and disappear but slowly gaining a foothold in Japan.  
  
Then, Black Blaze walked in front of him and said frankly, "The descendent of Morhiko will soon need our help. We need to join again."  
  
"Morhiko's descendent? What's wrong with Sai?"  
  
Black Blaze spoke seriously, "Sai will stare directly at the truth of the Inferno. I do not know if he will understand it, but he is more skilled with Torrent than Morhiko was. He might be able to make the right decision, but we must be there to influence him in the right path. We will split again, when he has made the correct decision. Chaos will soon envelope the city and I must guide you to the other Inferno."  
  
  
  
"Ryo, what's wrong with White Blaze?" Mia asked the teenager as she pulled out her car keys and headed towards the door to follow the tiger. No one saw the two tigers merge again.  
  
"I don't know," Ryo answered, distracted. He felt as though something was coming for him, as though a major part of his destiny arrived. It is my destiny to be a Ronin Warrior, Ryo thought, not understanding the sensation as the fighter's lust for battle touched his veins. Whatever is going on, the Ronin Warriors need to fight again!  
  
  
  
Grumbling to himself, Oleiriset wandered through the halls of the castle. Locating Kayura with his metaphysical sense was easy; finding her through the intricate hallways was trouble. He finally arrived at her bedchambers and knocked three times on her door until he heard her call to enter.  
  
Kayura sat cross-legged with the staff glowing gently in front of her.  
  
Trying to appear harmless and casual, Oleiriset asked, "You are in communion with the Ancient One, I suppose?"  
  
Kayura nodded. The Ancient was infamously well known throughout the netherworld so she thought nothing strange of Oleiriset's question. She effortlessly caught the staff as it fell since it stopped glowing and the spirit of the Ancient began to rest. "We are alone now."  
  
Oleiriset unconsciously spread his arms out, indicating emptiness. "I have nothing major to discuss. I merely wish to thank you for saving my life. I never wished to disturb your meditation. I shall explore the other parts of the castle now." He turned to leave.  
  
"Wait!" Kayura shouted, standing on her feet.  
  
Oleiriset glanced behind his shoulder.  
  
"Your aura seems familiar somehow. I wonder if you are related to someone who I once knew."  
  
"I never met my parents and I was raised with the snake demons, if you were assuming that we met in our early childhood." Oleiriset then opened the door and almost walked straight into Sekhmet.  
  
The impassive former warlord of Venom placed his hand on Oleiriset's shoulder forcibly to push him aside and walked past him. Then, Sekhmet said to Kayura, "I have the reports that you and the Ancient wanted. Dais already reviewed them and he thinks the northern section needs our central focus as soon as possible. Kale refused to give his opinion because he felt tired of reviewing."  
  
Kayura did not know whether to laugh or to feel annoyed; she knew the nether world needed constant watching, but like Kale, she also felt tired of looking after the nether world. With a silent sigh, she took the reports from Sekhmet and sat down to review them with the Ancient after the former warlord of Venom dismissed himself.  
  
Sekhmet exited the room. He saw Oleiriset standing near the wall. He warily eyed the man's observing expression. Not knowing why, he instantly distrusted and disliked the other man. When Oleiriset glanced at him, Sekhmet pinned him against the wall. "Are you sure that you never met your parents?"  
  
"I am absolutely certain. I never once met my parents. Do you trust me?"  
  
"No," Sekhmet scowled.  
  
"Well, I wonder why. I am telling the truth."  
  
Kale's sudden curiosity and constant questioning amazed everyone at the castle. Dais never thought anything odd about the former warlord of Darkness; he also enjoyed the social interaction that resulted from the personal questions. In truth, the more they discussed their past, the more they discovered about their own pasts.  
  
Dais's only complete memory of his grandfather, Jiguro, was his grandfather's funeral although certain parts blended together because Dais, only five at the time, grew bored and ignored those parts of the funeral ceremony. "I remember that after the funeral, my grandmother, Keiko, spoke with me about my grandfather. She said something like how I had to inherit and nurture my family legacy. I don't remember exactly what she said, but there was this stranger at the funeral. He seems familiar now." Dais frowned thoughtfully, struggling to form a better picture of the stranger. "Something was unusual about the person. The person stood among all of the mourners as though he was one of them, but he appeared fit for performing ceremonies. When he walked, I saw that he held a-"  
  
Dais stopped suddenly. His eye widened in shock and his mouth straightened. Subconsciously afraid of falling, he leaned against the table. He remembered that the person also stopped to talk to him about Jiguro. A clearer picture formed in his mind. Dais spoke again awkwardly, but with growing conviction. "I- I think that person. was actually the Ancient One!"  
  
Kale stared at him with wide-eyes. An old habit wanted him to laugh at the strangeness of the revelation, but he learned enough in the past two years (especially in the past two days) to know that a little truth existed in everything. "Really?" he said to Dais as a compromise between the old and new habits.  
  
Dais nodded.  
  
  
  
"So Talpa wanted you to know how to read," Oleiriset mused, more to the thin air than to Sekhmet, as he walked stiffly through the library. He guessed how Sekhmet gained the knowledge after the former warlord of Venom read aloud a difficult word in a scroll. Oleiriset hated Sekhmet's hard glare and constant patrolling like a dumb dog watching and stalking its prey. "You probably felt truly special once you learned how to read and write. You believed that Talpa had only your best interests at heart, correct?" He swore he heard a slight growl behind him and he suppressed a smile, knowing that he hit a spot of truth about Sekhmet's past.  
  
Trying to calm his nerves, Oleiriset sighed and asked Sekhmet while keeping to his mission, "Have you known people who are inflicted with a certain illness?"  
  
"What do you mean? Everyone is sick at some point in life."  
  
Oleiriset never turned to face the former warlord of Venom; he might lose control of his nerves if he did. "I talk about a special illness which causes people to commit spiteful acts of malice. I believe you understand what I say."  
  
"You speak in riddles!" Sekhmet snapped.  
  
The man breathed deeply, reminding himself of a small part of his plan for Sekhmet, Get him angry and then have him focus his anger on Naga. "Queen Naga suffers from such an illness. That is why she wishes to injure you again. In most cases of the illness, there is no cure. I thought you understood the illness because the majority of your village displayed symptoms of the illness, especially in their treatment towards you."  
  
The former warlord of Venom scowled. He felt as though Oleiriset tried to insult him by using heavily veiled words and implications to anger and to stultify him. However, he strangely remembered a situation that fit Oleiriset's description of the illness.  
  
  
  
When Sekhmet was five, his grandfather, Nazaka, left to fight a battle against the snake demons. His grandmother terrified him so he waited silently near the window for hours. From his earliest memories, Nazaka always fought the snake demons and came back alive with little or no injuries so Sekhmet never worried about his grandfather. Instead, he wished Nazaka would return soon to protect him from his scary grandmother. His grandmother always seemed to hate him for an unknown reason. After an hour of waiting silently without any movement, Sekhmet believed that if he left his grandmother alone, his grandmother would repay the favor and leave him alone.  
  
However, his grandmother acted illogically.  
  
She approached him and said callously, "Your accursed father is trying to kill my husband at this moment."  
  
Sekhmet did not flinch despite her words and her tone. He never had an opinion about his father and never had any assumption of how a father should act. He merely accepted her words as fact and decided that his father was a bad person. Not worrying, he believed his grandfather would win so he said simply in a dull tone, "Okay."  
  
"How dare you!" she spat suddenly.  
  
"What'd I do wrong?" Sekhmet asked fearfully. Only five-years-old at the time, he trembled easily.  
  
"You and your father." she sneered scornfully and then shouted, "You tortured my daughter! For nine months, I had to watch my wonderful daughter suffer against her will because of you! Oh, you destroyed her. you destroyed her. and I will always hate you. Now, your father is trying to kill my husband!"  
  
The helpless five-year-old boy cowered tearfully while she ranted hatefully. He did not remember hurting anyone and he never wanted to hurt anyone. Eventually the boy's grandmother tired, satisfied with her treatment of him, and walked off, mumbling spiteful sayings.  
  
Nazaka returned hours later to find Sekhmet still cowering timidly near the windowsill. Nazaka's wife greeted him warmly as though nothing malevolent happened. Sekhmet's grandmother acted more cheerful than usual. Although Nazaka was full of energy when he returned, the sight of his family suddenly exhausted him. Nazaka told his wife that he would go to bed soon and that he wanted her to wait for him.  
  
After she left, Nazaka picked up Sekhmet and carried the boy to his bed.  
  
"I'm sorry," was the first thing that Sekhmet said to him.  
  
"Sorry for what?" Nazaka asked. After Sekhmet repeated what his grandmother said, Nazaka told him, "Don't take what she says to heart. Just ignore her."  
  
"But why does she say those things?"  
  
Nazaka sighed, "She's- She is sick. She has been sick for a long time. Just ignore her."  
  
Sekhmet learned at an early age that people were violent and hateful. None of his recent experiences with people disproved what he learned when he was five.  
  
  
  
"Come in," Kayura said absently, hearing a knock on her door. Busy reading, she did not look up.  
  
Oleiriset entered. "I was unable to find anything worth reading in your library and I remembered seeing a collection of scrolls in your room. May I know what you are reading?"  
  
"I'm just reviewing my notes," Kayura said, absorbed in her work. She paused to walk mechanically to her table and take a sip of tea. Then, she began reading attentively again.  
  
"Notes over what?"  
  
Kayura looked up thoughtfully. She felt as though he should know the information already. "It is stuff the Ancient One wanted me to memorize. The previous bearer of the staff can only remain inside the staff for ten years to teach the next bearer." In addition to learning how to use the staff, Kayura also had to learn about the entire history of the Clan. She wondered why Oleiriset was interested in her notes and said dismissively, "Dinner should be ready soon. Will you please tell the others that I will be a little late?"  
  
"Certainly." Oleiriset bowed down and left.  
  
Kayura sighed. Why did Oleiriset's aura feel so familiar? He said he was half-snake demon and that Sekhmet also had the blood of the snake demons, but Sekhmet's aura was more similar to Kale's than Oleiriset's.  
  
Finding the minor mystery unimportant, she decided to focus on her studies again. A system of balance kept the interconnecting spiritual and mortal worlds in order. If the balance was unsettled, (depending on the thing toppling the balance and the speed/force with which the balance was toppled), the health of the mortal world would decline into a barren wasteland or the mortal world would be destroyed instantly. The absence of a natural force and empowerment by an unnatural force were also dangerous to the world's health.  
  
  
  
"Did you tell us the truth last night?" Sekhmet asked Oleiriset before the queen's advisor entered the dining room.  
  
His eyes widened and his face seemed to jerk back in surprise. "Why do you ask?"  
  
Sekhmet scowled. He hated explaining himself because not even he understood his own actions and thoughts. Fortunately, his distrust of the man was easier to explain. "You have snake blood."  
  
"And you are still suspicious of me because of my blood?" Oleiriset inquired with a nervous chuckle.  
  
Sekhmet nodded.  
  
The man's eyes hardened as he said sternly, "Well, let me tell you the truth about me. I was born directly from the harems of the snake demons. I have no idea who my mother and father are. Naga tortured me until I screamed and begged, but she is merciless. You also have snake blood so if I am evil, so are you."  
  
  
  
Dinner passed amazingly without any fights. Dais and Kale started to discuss their grandfathers, as usual now. Then Oleiriset commented that Dais had a nether curse because of his white hair and Dais said he inherited it from Jiguro. Dinner passed uneventfully and Sekhmet went to bed quickly afterwards.  
  
Sleep came easily and unexpectedly. That night he dreamed that he walked peacefully through a summer landscape. The dream surprised him because he rarely dreamed and the scenes came too quickly and too fluidly to come from his mind. Knowing that the dream was not his own creation, Sekhmet searched through the summer landscape for the person who created the dream. He stopped as the creator of the dream stepped into view. Then Sekhmet kneeled humbly in front of the Ancient One, who sent his spirit out to communicate with the former warlord.  
  
"Something troubles you," said the Ancient One.  
  
"How do you know?" He thought his own emotions were mysterious and undecipherable.  
  
"I watched you long enough. I can tell when something troubles you."  
  
Letting go of his emotions, Sekhmet shouted out, "Oleiriset is lying! He said he never met his parents, but he lies!"  
  
"Certain emotions are attached to lies - a slight twinge of guilt, fear of being caught in a lie, or self-acknowledgement of a lie. There is usually a combination of those three emotions in a person when the person lies. Does Oleiriset experience those emotions?"  
  
"No, but I know he lies! He lies somehow!" Sekhmet sighed and humbled himself. "I can't explain how I know. I can't explain anything." 


	5. Chapter4

I'm telling everyone again just so that no one feels bewildered, confused, and/or embarrassed.  The song "Kamen no Shita no Namida" is at the end of this chapter.  You can download it at Theria's site and Sora's site.

Theria's site:   http://www.theria.net/yst/cds/index.html  
  
Sora's site:   http://www.sorakun.net/ystmp3/index2.html  
  


            Gasping for air, Sekhmet immediately shot up in bed in a sitting position.  His mouth was dry, almost swollen and his hands shook.  He felt very cold and _afraid_…  Sekhmet rarely dreamed and never remembered his few dreams.  However, the dream that occurred after the Ancient One left terrified him and had continued for hours.

            Trying to calm himself, Sekhmet laid down again and attempted to blank out any fear and thoughts, but the blankness terrified him further and made him remember his years of confinement in Naga's castle.

            For months after Naga captured him, the snake demons beat and tortured him, teasing him, enticing him to rebel and then thrashing him down again.  Then they placed him in a cold, cramped cell and gave him old, crusty food.  Hours of silence in his cell passed during every day.  At first, he relied on his anger to occupy his days, but when that faded into an unnoticed part of his existence and no longer entertained him, he felt himself losing his humanity.  Until Sekhmet's thirteenth year, Naga chained him up on a leash and flaunted him around the area like a prized puppy.  Sekhmet, instinctively to restore his vanishing humanity, spoke up and asked questions during conversations that Naga had with various officials.  Although that action was typical of young maturing children, it resulted in whippings and beatings.

            As Sekhmet aged, his brief reprieves away from his cell grew sparse and by his fourteenth year, Naga left him in the cell permanently.  Soon, all traces of his humanity disappeared.  He became the dumb animal that Naga wanted him to be, with animal pleasures and animal desires.  Speech turned incomprehensible: a thing that he barely understood.  Nothingness filled his mind.

            With a startled cry, the former warlord of Venom sprang out of bed.  He hated his past!  After calming himself, Sekhmet stared incidentally at his own reflection in his mirror.  He had nothing of his grandfather's regal stature - where Nazaka had wise flowing gray hair, Sekhmet had irrational choppy green hair, where Nazaka had intelligent loving eyes, Sekhmet had crazy bulging eyes.  In fact, Sekhmet appeared more like the brutal snake demons who he hated, instead of his grandfather.  Without thinking, the former warlord of Venom shattered the mirror and ran out of the room.

            Sekhmet stopped running when he neared the training room as he heard the methodical breaking of boards.  Entering the training room, he saw Kale practicing.  Sekhmet smiled and sat down along the left wall of the training room.  Dais, Kale, and Kayura never hated him.  They always treated him as an equal.  Perhaps they treated him better than he deserved.  Since he never previously had any friends, the feelings that he had for them were strange, but he enjoyed the feeling of friendship.

            Kale noticed the former warlord of Venom and asked him, "How come you couldn't sleep?"

            "Stuff," Sekhmet replied, not wishing to discuss what really troubled him.

            "Its weird that our grandfathers were Ronin Warriors and that we now have to be Ronin Warriors."

            Sekhmet nodded silently.  They had to honor and to respect their grandfathers.  However, how could Sekhmet honor Nazaka?  The former warlord of Venom remembered his comrades' conversations about their grandfathers.  Sasaki Idoju and Kuroda Jiguro told their grandchildren nothing about the Ronin Warriors and the armors!  Yamanouchi Nazaka, however, was not secretive.

            When Sekhmet was seven, he noticed that Nazaka frequently pulled out a green orb and stared at it.  After Sekhmet asked about the orb, Nazaka replied that it was a Ronin Warrior armor orb.  Then, his grandfather explained about his adventure with seven other Ronin Warriors - Dateki Shiro, Mitoma Hitomaro, Karei Ashura, Mouri Morhiko, Koma Toshiten, Sasaki Idoju, and Kuroda Jiguro.  Fascinated by the tale of strength and valor, Sekhmet asked his grandfather why he did not use the armor against the snake demons,

            Nazaka replied, "I did force back the snake demons with this and a few years of peace followed.  Unfortunately, this armor is a thing of power, and the weak people want power.  Shortly after the snake demons were forced back, a man from the village threatened my children's lives in exchange for the armor.  The wars made him power-hungry and my armor tempted him to steal it.  I never wanted to tempt anyone with its power so I vowed never to use it again."

            Shaking off the memory, the former warlord of Venom wondered to Kale, "Did the Ancient One ever talk to you in your sleep?"

            "How do you mean?"

            "Did he ever appear in your dreams to communicate to you?"

            Kale nodded, "Yes, a few times every week.  He usually comes to inform me about my armor, its purpose, and how I could use it.  Does he tell you about your armor?"

            "No."  Over the following two year after Sekhmet asked his grandfather about the orb, Nazaka thoroughly explained the armors and their uses.  "My grandfather told me everything.  I chose to ignore it."

            "Everything?" That word alarmed Kale.  "You mean you knew about Talpa's plans and that the armors were made for good?"

            The former warlord of Venom winced, regretful.  "I- I ignored what my grandfather said.  Working for Talpa seemed better than staying where I was."  For days, he listened with a strange envious feeling to his comrades' conversations and he wanted to join their conversations about childhood.  Finally, he spoke about his own past.

            Years after Sekhmet was captured, his dry, crusty rations thinned almost to nonexistence.  He starved near death on several occasions with nothing to sustain his stomach and his soul.  When Naga left him in his empty cage permanently, eating and sleeping became his only hobbies for three years, a total of 1,095 days.  Without any outside stimulus, eating and sleeping became the sole highlights, perhaps the purpose, of his life.  One day, someone replaced his crusty, occasionally moldy, rations in exchange for the best, fresh foods.  He cheerfully gulped down the food, and later with his eroded intellect, he wondered who gave him the food and why.  Not having any positive stimulus for nearly a decade, he believed that whoever gave him the meal was good.  He received wonderful meals for a week until Talpa offered him a position as a warlord.  Talpa sent nether soldiers into Naga's castle to break down the cell door.  Then, Sekhmet approached Naga while she slept with his grandfather's armor orb fastened to a chain around her neck.  Sekhmet stole the armor and joined Talpa.

            "Do you remember anything good about your childhood?" Kale inquired after a moment of somber silence.  "A song or poem or anything?"

            The former warlord of Venom frowned thoughtfully.  "I do remember that Nazaka used to sing a song to me when I was tired or sad."

            When Sekhmet told Kale the title of the song, Kale exclaimed, "My grandfather sang the exact same song to me when I was little!  Let's go wake Dais and see if he knows the song."

            Smiling mischievously, Sekhmet agreed.

            For an unknown reason, being woken up always terrified Dais.   The scary figures of Kale and Sekhmet hovering over him worsened his fear.  "You are idiots," Dais replied in response to their question.  "I can't believe you woke me up just for a song…"

            "It's a fun song!" Kale objected to Dais's sour tone.  Sekhmet nodded.  "And we need to sing the song with a few bottles of sake."

            Sitting up, Dais grumbled, "I don't know what's so wonderful about that song and rice wine, but anyway, my grandparents did sing it to me frequently.  I remember my grandmother and my parents always sang to me.  I can't get a lot of sleep now, so I might as well sing and get drunk with you."

            Early in the morning as the other inhabitants awoke, while Oleiriset watched the struggling elemental Ronin Warriors and while Kayura meditated with the Ancient One, the former warlords held a social event for themselves.  {Play song} they tried to evoke the spirit of camaraderie that their grandfathers shared as Ronin Warriors.  They drank huge bottles of sake, rice wine, and, talking about funny stories, the former warlords eventually began to sing the song that their grandfathers sang so many years ago:

akuyaku nante itsumo kanashii sadame no Lonely Guy        Villians always a sad destiny Lonely guy

saigo wa itsu datte eiyuu ni yarareteshimau                           The end is when the hero beats him

tama niwa oretachi mo hakushu o okutte okure                     Occasionally, we get some applause at our defeat

kamen ni kakushiteru sunao wa misenai                                Our face is hidden by the mask so you can't see it.

naze oretachi wa nikumare yakubakari                                  Why are we nothing but bad guys

itsumo kokoro no katasumi de naiteiru                                  Always crying in a corner of our heart.

hiiroo ni naritai kakko yoku ikitai                                          We want to be heroes We want to be cool.

itsumo hi ka negai o hanaete Oh My God!                             What day will our wish be granted. Oh my God!

hiiroo ni naritai kakko yoku kimetai                                       We want to be heroes We want to make things right

yuuyake o sei ni shite waratte mitai                                        We want to see ourselves smiling in the sunset.

Crying and laughing, the former warlords clasped their cups of rice wine together and continued the song.  Kale rambled inane poetry while Dais and Sekhmet threw rice balls.

boyaku no hayametoke yo omae no kimochi wa wakaru       Boy's speeding up, We understand your feelings

namida wa niawanai oretachi wa akuyaku na no sa               Tears don't suite us We're villians after all

itsuka wa oretachi nimo akarui mirai ga kuru sa                    Someday even we want a bright future to come

nagu sametekureruna yokei ni kanashii                                  Giving us comfort is too much sorrow.

kono aku no michi mune o hatte susume                               This evil path stretches our chest in advance

sore ga otoko no ikiru michi seishunsa                                  That is a man's life path his youth

hiiroo wa iranai kono mama de kamawanai                           Heroes are useless With that we don't care

oretachi ga inakerya hajimaranaize                                        We must be, not for the first time.

hiiroo ni sayonara nakigoto wa iwanai                                  Goodbye heroes, we won't complain

kono mune ni kakushita kanawanu negai                               In this heart we hide our unanswered wish.

hiiroo ni naritai kakko yoku ikitai                                          We want to be heroes We want to be cool.

itsumo hi ka negai o kanaete Oh My God!                             What day will our wish be granted. Oh my God!

hiiroo ni naritai kakko yoku kimetai                                       We want to be heroes We want to make things right

yuuyake o sei ni shite waratte mitai                                        We want to see ourselves smiling in the sunset.

hiiroo wa iranai kono mama de kamawanai                           Heroes are useless With that we don't care

oretachi ga inakerya hajimaranaize                                        We must be, not for the first time.

hiiroo ni sayonara nakigoto wa iwanai                                   Goodbye heroes, we won't complain

kono mune ni kakushita kanawanu negai                               In this heart we hide our unanswered wish.


	6. Chapter5

Oleiriset scowled miserably and flung his pillow across the room. He had only one day left to complete his mission. The Inferno's plans moved rapidly, more so than Oleiriset prepared for.  
  
Forlorn, he exited his room to find Sekhmet. He hated having to align his plans with both Naga's plans and the Inferno's plans. He hoped he could quickly convince Sekhmet to reenter Naga's castle. Unfortunately, he found the former warlord of Venom thoroughly intoxicated and mumbling lyrics in his sleep on the floor with the other two former warlords.  
  
Oleiriset almost screamed in frustration. His plans were ruined! He had no idea when the rice wine would leave Sekhmet's system. Agitated, he decided to attempt to make the best out of the situation; he went to visit Kayura.  
  
Unfortunately, when Oleiriset knocked on Kayura's door, he received no answer. He waited in silence for a few moments. He quickly felt impatient. Then he opened her door, but she was not there. The staff, however, rested nicely against the wall.  
  
Oleiriset grinned. His fingers itched to touch the staff. It contained so much power yet should be so harmless to him. In his wildest childhood dreams, he always wanted to control the staff. Impulsively, he ran towards the staff and caressed it gently. Then, he slowly placed his hands around the base of the staff and grabbed it tightly.  
  
The ball of the staff glowed instantly; the Ancient One awoke, disturbed. Sensing the spirit, Oleiriset panicked and forced his own spiritual energy onto the Ancient One to subdue the monk's soul. When using special items, the hands were the most valuable in channeling energy and therefore were the most fragile. The Ancient One targeted Oleiriset's hands, which were on the staff. The conflicting energies of Oleiriset and the Ancient One exploded upon contact. The blast shoved Oleiriset onto the ground, tearing his hands away from the staff.  
  
Oleiriset gasped through clenched teeth from the shock. He stared in horror as the staff spun around a few times by itself and then rested against the wall. His hands shook and burned with pain. Trembling, Oleiriset lifted his hands to his face. Fear closed his throat before he could scream. He glanced again at the harmless-appearing staff. With a startled cry, Oleiriset dashed out the door.  
  
A few feet in the hallway, Oleiriset immediately bumped into Kayura, who returned from the library. Still suffering from shock, the minor contact knocked him down. Oleiriset believed he was safe, but he realized how much he underestimated Kayura's mental abilities at spiritual communication when she demanded, "What were you doing with the staff?"  
  
"Staff?" Oleiriset tried to back away while on his seared hands and his knees.  
  
Her muscles tightened angrily. "I sensed you and the staff against each other in a little battle! I am listening to the Ancient One right now about what happened."  
  
"And you believe him?" Oleiriset said without thinking. Then he realized his error, "Oh, of course you believe him."  
  
"I want to know why and how you were able to attack the staff like you did," Kayura demanded an answer.  
  
"I- I, um, I was curious."  
  
Kayura approached him irritably. "Any better explanation?"  
  
Oleiriset sighed defeatedly, "No." He considered his next actions while Kayura contemplated the situation. Circumstances essentially ruined all of his plans. He did not have much time before the Inferno completed it mission so he had to wrap up his own plans in a hurry.  
  
Oleiriset chose the quickest and riskiest means of escape. Wincing slightly, he slammed his hand, palm open, onto the floor. Bright tendrils of energy shot out of his hand, filling the cracks on the stone, towards Kayura.  
  
The attack was too fast for her to react. Kayura skidded back as the energy beams jumped up repeatedly and exploded upon contact with her bare feet. She could not notice the pain on her scarred feet; she was busy dodging the energy attack. She gasped once from shock as the energy struck the vulnerable slopes of her feet. When the attack stopped, Kayura started to chase fleeing Oleiriset.  
  
"Wait!" the Ancient One's spirit called out. "Kayura, come get the staff. You will be stronger with it."  
  
Scowling, she obeyed with a slight hesitation. She turned briskly into her room and picked up the staff.  
  
The Ancient One continued speaking, "You also need to think clearly. Oleiriset angered you, and fighting in anger is simple carelessness."  
  
"Of course," Kayura replied with a sigh.  
  
"I never noticed Oleiriset's aura until now. His aura and his power were very familiar."  
  
"I know, but why is that?"  
  
"I remember that when I trained Jiguro, he occasionally lost control, and his attacks became wild and forceful. Oleiriset's attack reminded me of those occasions when I was training Jiguro. In fact, Oleiriset's aura and Jiguro's aura are very similar. Their powers are almost identical."  
  
  
  
Oleiriset stopped running when the hallways grew more convoluted and twisting. Terrified, he clasped his hands over his pounding heart. He pressed down on his chest to control his rapid breathing.  
  
What could he do? His entire plan collapsed completely.  
  
One of Naga's messengers soon appeared from out of the nearby trees and tall grasses.  
  
Oleiriset hissed with a thick dialect, "Tell the small platoon of soldiers waiting nearby to come here! The attack must begin immediately!" He then motioned to the person to hurry and to go without him.  
  
The messenger left quickly.  
  
Oleiriset sighed miserably and slumped against the wall. "I must distract Kayura and prevent her from following the former warlords into Naga's kingdom." Then, he hissed angrily, "Naga, you coward! You hate your cursed culture so you choose death to escape from it!" Scowling, he located Kayura and the others with his mental sense. Then, he reentered the castle.  
  
  
  
Dais groaned as he awoke. Finding himself suddenly sober, he sat straight up. His mind felt strangely clean as it usually felt after a spiritual training session with the Ancient One. Dais blinked a few times to wake up the muscles in his eye. Then, he glanced up and saw Kayura standing in front of him with her arms crossed. She held the staff tightly.  
  
"What happened?" Dais asked her.  
  
Kayura replied disapprovingly, "First of all, the Ancient figured that drunken warriors would be ineffective in a crisis so he removed all of the alcohol from your systems."  
  
Stretching, Kale commented, "That makes sense."  
  
Kayura then told them the real problem, "While you were napping, Oleiriset tried to take control of the staff and then, he attacked me."  
  
Sekhmet was the only one not surprised. "You are keeping something secret from us."  
  
Kayura said softly, "That is between Oleiriset and me."  
  
Suddenly, they heard projectiles hitting the walls outside the castle. Kale sprang to his feet. His muscles tensed. Was someone attacking?  
  
Kayura sighed and told the former warlords, "You can deal with the problem at the gates. I'll handle Oleiriset."  
  
They nodded and ran off, donning their armors. 


End file.
